Owen Cazier and Mary Elizabeth Hawkins

Owen Cazier and Mary Elizabeth Hawkins

My Maternal Grandparentsby Helen Horton Sutliff

(Update on last page 8/19/2005)

Owen Cazier, son of Samuel Cazier and Harriett Elmer, was born May 13, 1866, in Nephi, Juab County, Utah.On November 13, 1884, he married Mary Elizabeth Hawkins, daughter of Henry Hibbard Hawkins and Elizabeth Pass. She was born in Nephi, Juab County, Utah on November 29, 1869. (The headstone at the Ely Cemetery shows her birth date as 1868, which is wrong). She was only 15 and he was 18 at their marriage.

Gram (Mary Elizabeth Hawkins) was blessed on December 1869 by John Small Hawkins. She was baptized in the Mormon Church on September 5, 1877 by John Andrews.

Their first three children were born in Nephi, Juab County, Utah. Lois born April 27, 1886, Lewis born October 6, 1889 and Bertha Elizabeth born July 2, 1892.

The Utah 1900 Census (Film #1241683) dated June 5, 1900 shows the family living in Juab Precinct, Wellington Village (now known as Mills). Grampa’s brother Edcil was living in the same household, and a servant by the name of Samuel Warr. Living adjacent to them was Grampa’s brother Joseph with his wife Hannah and daughter Versa.

In 1901, the family loaded up their household goods on a wagon and moved to Currant Creek, Nye County, Nevada, where they purchased some land from C. A. Brown Estate (Mr. Brown was the third husband of my Father’s Maternal Grandmother Bridget Ann Fitzgerald McCormick, Blackwell, Brown).

There Grampa and his brothers, Edmund, Joseph, Edcil and Hyrum built homes on the south side of Highway 6, about two miles east of the intersection of Highway U. S. 6, and Highway 20. This location is in a very beautiful setting. Currant Creek runs through the property, a perfect place for an orchard, and a beautiful view of Railroad Valley to the west, mountains on the north and south.

Two more children were born while they lived in Currant Creek. Gladys Victoria born 24 May, 1902 and Wanda born November 7, 1906. They were delivered by a midwife called Grandma Oxborrow. She was from Preston or Lund, Nevada.

Grampa Owen and his brothers built a schoolhouse in 1902 at Currant Creek. The building was made of logs gathered from the surrounding mountains. The School Teacher was Florence McMullan and schoolmates were: Versa Cazier, Sylvia Pastorino (Manson), Gladys Cazier (Windous), Lillis Cazier (Amens), Ida Lavell Cazier (Fields), Tessie Pastorino (Manzonie) and my mother Bertha Elizabeth Cazier (Horton). This school was used up until the 1950’s and then was sold to the Nevada Historical Society. Vandals burned the building down in 1979 and now only the foundation remains.

According to a story told to me by Bill Hawkins (Grandma’s Nephew), Grampa took a load of apples to Goldfield, Nevada to sell. He was paid in gold pieces ($700.00 worth). He was afraid of robbery so he put the gold in the bottom of a water barrel that was mounted on the side of the wagon and arrived home safely with the gold.

Aunt Mary Lou Cazier (Uncle Lou’s wife) sent me a picture of an Indian and his two wives called “Mormon Jim.” On the back she wrote the following: “Indian Jim and wives were on the ranch at Currant Creek when the Cazier Brothers and Samuel Cazier took over. The Story Mormon Jim listened to some missionaries telling him about the Lamonite Indians, his ancestors, and he got baptized Later he said Mormon Men heap liars, he never see his Papa and Mama when he come out of the water.”

This picture is right by Owen Cazier’s kitchen door where we used to get our water.”

The Cazier men were shaved by their wives every day. Grampa was such a large man, and Gram was so little, that he had to scootch way down so Gram could reach him. The Cazier Bachelor (Hyrum) also got shaved by Gram.

Another story related to me by Aunt Mary Lou: The two oldest girls (Lois and Bertha) had married and left home. Grampa moved with his wife and two young daughters (Gladys and Wanda); his son Lewis with his wife; and his brother Edcil Cazier with his wife Adeline Atkins and family to Rigby, Idaho in 1912. They purchased 120 acres of land and planted potatoes, Grampa and his son built a house on 80 of the acres. Due to hard times they were only able to sell 100 sacks of potatoes for the cost of the sacks. These hard times caused Grampa to almost have a nervous breakdown, so in 1913, they pulled up roots and moved back to Nevada, where they purchased the Hayden Ranch at White River, White Pine County, Nevada, where they lived until Grampa Owen’s death in 1931. The ranch consisted of 160 acres. Mr. Madson (from Preston) built the original house. The place is now (1982) being lived in by Wallace and Lois (Gardner) Jurey. The ranch belongs to Pearl Gardner.

In the meantime, his son Lewis, Wife Mary and young son Alvin (who was born while they lived in Rigby, Idaho) moved to Idaho Falls and stayed there until 1914, when they returned to Nevada also.

Besides farming at White River, Grampa also drove the school bus. He loved children and they loved him. When Grampa came home in the afternoon from driving the school bus, the first place he headed was to his bedroom. When I stayed at the ranch I always ran for the bedroom and held the door closed, so he would grunt and grunt and push to try to open the door. This was great fun as I thought I was very strong.

(From the Nevada Historical Society Quarterly Volume XXV Winter 1982, I found an interesting article written by Carol Ivins Collett “Country School Idylls”):

She said “my first school at White River was only fifteen miles from home at Lund. I stayed at the elder Caziers and rode their beautiful horse, Peaches, home for many weekends with my family.

The schoolhouse, to be equidistant from the different ranches, was situated over a hill in a grassy little valley. That winter turned out to be the worst in memory, but I don’t think we missed a day of school. Mr. Cazier would take a horse and drag a big log over the hill, making a narrow trail sometimes with the snow three or four feet deep on each side.

There were five children, Lona and Alvin Cazier, Walter Rosevear, Ned Pasterino and an Indian boy, Arthur Lee.” She stated her salary was $105. a month. She did not mention the exact year that she taught at White River, but it had to have been about 1920.

An accounting of his life from Alvin Cazier, his Grandson. “He was a great organizer of work. He would wake everyone up at 4:30 a.m. Get everyone going on their chores and then he would retire to the underground potato cellar to take a nap until lunch time. “Aunt Mary Lou said that Grampa suffered from lumbago in his last 15 years of life.

This brings to mind an incident in my own life. When I was visiting my Mother (Owen’s daughter, Bertha) in 1955, I was baking a cake and she said “put the cake in now (ha ha), I’m just like my father, he not only tells you how to do it, but when to do it.”

Alvin also related about trips Grampa made to Ely during Alvin’s early years. “They would go into Gallager’s Store and trade hay for groceries. Hauling hay into town would take more than one whole day. They would go as far as Murray Summit and then into Ely the next day. Pick up groceries and return to Murray Summit; and the next day home.” In this day and time it takes about 30 minutes by car.

Another thing Alvin told me “Although Grampa was an excellent roper, he didn’t ride a horse because he was too large of a man. He was very powerful, could lift a drum of water onto a wagon without any help. He was 6′ 6″ tall and weighed 260 pounds.”

Grampa was also a very honest man. He borrowed $5,000.00 from Bill Mendes, at Duckwater. The note was to come due in January of the following year. However, on the day it was due, a very bad snowstorm hit and then it was way below zero temperature. He loaded up his wagon to make the trip to Duckwater to pay off the loan, everyone urged him to stay until the weather got better, but Grampa said “no, Billy Mendes is expecting me.” That trip was about 50 miles one way.

As related to me by Edith Garrett Manwaring (Mom’s Cousin), while visiting Gram’s sister (Emma Hawkins Garrett) in Nephi, Grampa went out to use the outhouse and apparently leaned on the wall, the outhouse tumbled over with him inside. I guess there was a lot of hollering to let him out.

Grampa and Gram made a trip to Tennessee in 1927, to visit with their Daughter Lois Cazier Perry and her family. Aunt Lois had married Eli Perry on 29 December l903 at Currant Creek and had subsequently moved back to Tennessee.

Gram was a lady of small stature. Was a very good cook. It has been said that she was ready to travel at a moment’s notice, always had her suitcase packed. According to stories passed on down, Grampa was ready to take a trip and Gram was not quite ready to leave, so Grampa took off, leaving Gram home. Thereafter she always had a suitcase packed in readiness for any sudden plans of traveling.

Gram always dressed in a hat and gloves and I believe up until her death she always wore shoes with high heels

While Grampa and Gram were still living in Nephi, he bought a small organ for Gram (she was very talented musically). This organ was often loaded on to a wagon and taken to all the dances in Currant Creek, Preston and etc., and Gram would play for the dances.

The Organ is now in the possession of Sue Williams Merritt (daughter of Edna Horton Williams). The organ was brought over from Utah when Grampa and Gram moved to Nevada. On the organ there is a piece of pine board located at the base of the keyboard, and in the grooves, the following notations are made. “D.W. White March 29, 1871 G. Henroid April 26, 1879. The Organ is a “Mason and Hamlin Portable” Serial #33163.

Grampa died at his sister in law’s home (Mary Evans Cazier) in Ely, White Pine County, Nevada on March 13, 1931 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Grampa is buried in the Ely Cemetery. His Obituary appeared in the Ely Daily Times on March 14, 1931: “Owen Cazier rancher and stockman died ll:30 p.m. at sister- in l-aw home, age 64, of hemorrhage of the brain following a stroke of paralysis.”

Gram was everyone’s favorite person and had no enemies. She was known by all around as Gramma Lizzie. She would come into town from the ranch after Grampa’s death and stay with Aunt Mary Edmund (Mary Evans Cazier) to visit. She really loved to dance. During her late years, after Grampa died, she would come into town and attend dances with her Granddaughter Mary Horton Weber and Mary’s husband John. John would devote the entire evening dancing with Gram. Also when she came into town she loved to be taken to the Hotel Nevada Coffee Shop to eat Cherry Pie.

She had the cutest English accent. She could not pronounce her “H” s. She would say “I can’t pronounce otel” so I say “roomin ouse.” She pronounced my name Elen Orton (Helen Horton).

On July 4th, each year at home celebrations, there would be foot races and Gram always entered the races no matter how old she was or how young the others were. She was quite fast. I remember misbehaving and she would threaten to spank me. I would say “you can’t catch me” and would start running, but she would catch up with me and instead of a spanking, she would start to giggle. Some fun!

Getting back to Gram and how she liked to go places. If someone came by to take her someplace and she was in the midst of making bread, she would take the bread with her, and after it had risen, would bake it when she arrived at her destination. Nothing seemed to keep her home for very long.

Gram died in the White Pine County Hospital on 30 March 1950 and was buried in the Ely Cemetery next to her husband. Prior to her death she fell and broke her hip. The following is her obituary printed in the Ely Daily Times on March 30, 1950.:

Mrs. Lizzie Cazier, 82, widow of the late Owen Cazier, died early today at a local hospital after being ill approximately two weeks. LDS funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Wilson Bates Chapel.

Mrs. Cazier was born Nov. 29, 1868* in Nephi, Utah, the daughter of Harry and Elizabeth Pass Hawkins. She married Owen Cazier on November 18, 1885* and they came to Nevada in 1901.

Mr. Cazier died March 13, 1931, and since that time Mrs. Cazier lived with her daughter Mrs. Wanda Rosevear of Ely.

Survivors include four daughters Mrs. Eli Perry, Springfield, Tenn; Mrs. Bertha Horton, Reno; Gladys Windous, Reno; Mrs. Rosevear, Ely and one son Lewis Cazier, Ely. She is also survived by 17 Grandchildren and 18 Great Grandchildren.”

*LDS Records show her birth date as 1869 instead of 1868 and marriage date as 1884 instead of 1885.

Children of Owen Cazier and Mary Elizabeth Hawkins:

1. Lois M. born April 27, 1886 at Nephi, Juab County, Utah. She died January 4, 1962 in Tennessee. She married Eli Perry on 29 December l903 in Currant Creek, Nye County, Nevada. He was the son of Eli Perry and Nancy Ann Walker. Aunt Lois and her husband moved to Tennessee about the year 1909. Children (1) Elmer born about 1904 at Currant Creek, died in infancy and is buried at Currant Creek (2) Herschel born about 1905, died in infancy and is also buried at Currant Creek, (3) Florence born 5 January 1908, Currant Creek, (4) Roy born 14 July 1910 Springfield, Tenn. (5) Bertha born 12 Nov. 1912 at Springfield, and (6) Fred born 10 October 1914, Springfield.

2. Lewis Owen Cazier born September 6, 1889, died April 7, 1962 in Ely, White Pine County, Nevada. Married (1) Mary Andersen on 12 June 1912, daughter of Hans Andersen and Anna Katrina Jensen and was born in Lavan, Utah on September 2, 1892. They were later divorced. Children (1) Alvin A. born Rigby, Idaho, February 14, 1913 (2) Lona Jennivieve, born White River Ranch December 17, 1914 (3) Owen Keith born Ely on May 12, 1927. He married (2) Dorothy Pauline Olterman..

3. Bertha Elizabeth Cazier (my mother), born Nephi, Juab County, Utah, July 2, 1892. Died April 5, 1974 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada. She married William M. Horton on June 15, 1910 at Currant Creek, Nye County, Nevada. (See William M. Horton History for particulars).

4. Gladys Victoria born May 24, 1902, in Currant Creek, delivered by Grandma Oxborrow. She married Thomas A. Windous on 18 January 1922. He was the son of Thomas Christian Windous and Margaret Christina Arnoldus, and born July 11, 1894 at Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah. They had one child: Elaine born July 8, 1932 in Ely at her Grandmother’s home (Mrs. Margaret Windous). Aunt Glad died 19 January 1987 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada.

5. Wanda, born November 7, 1906, at Currant Creek, Nevada, delivered by Grandma Oxborrow. She married 12 April 1925 Joseph Rosevear, who was born 3 March 1898 at Hamilton, Nevada, and was the son of Joseph Rosevear and Elizabeth Jose. She died 29 November 1980 in Ely, White Pine County, Nevada.

Update – I just found something of interest (at least to me) – From the Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press I found a name history and origin for Cazier. “Cazier French: from Old French Casier, a term denoting an openwork basket in which cheese for tasting was displayed (from a diminutive of Latin caseus ‘cheese’); hence by extension an occupational name for a cheese maker.”